Directions

Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and mashes easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender, and puree until smooth, being very careful when working with the hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne if needed.

Serve warm, with optional garnishes if desired.

*A medium-sized butternut squash should weigh around 2 lbs or so, or about 2 1/2 cups, (so you would need about 32 ounces if buying pre-cut butternut squash).

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You’re not cooking the meat, you’re just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. Oh, and it smells so good–just like Grandma’s house on a Sunday afternoon.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onions soup mix. Pour water and beef broth over roast. Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It’s hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it’s done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. And don’t even think about walking away–things can go from lightly-toasted to on fire within a matter of seconds when you’re using your broiler. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

Combine chicken stock and coconut milk in a large pot and turn on to medium heat. Add in fish sauce, curry paste, oyster sauce, lime juice, sriracha, and ginger paste. Bring to a simmer. Add in sliced peppers, carrots, and chicken breast, and turn up to a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Let boil 4-5 minutes, turn back down to medium. Let simmer 30 minutes until flavors meld and chicken is cooked through. Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime.

Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Pour in red wine and let it cook for a minute or two.

Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings; can add crushed red peppers if you like a little heat.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down on the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with crusty French bread.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully remove the stems from the mushroom caps, setting the caps aside for later. Add the stems to the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic to the food processor as well, and pulse in brief bursts until them mushroom stems and garlic are finely chopped.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems and garlic and cook until all the moisture has disappeared, about 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and spices. Stir together until the mixture is smooth and creamy; remove from the heat. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of filling. Arrange the mushroom caps on the prepared baking sheet. Top with bread crumbs, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are hot and liquid starts to form under the caps. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with fresh herbs if using and serve immediately.

To make the crepes, combine dry ingredients, then add wet ones. Spray a medium frying pan with cooking spray a heat over medium-high heat. Pour batter into frying pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Cook about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with spatula, flip and cook other side.

To make the sauce, preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in the frying pan, then add both containers of fruit. Add the sugar and cook until raspberries are mostly dissolved and sauce is bubbling slightly.

When you are ready to assemble the crepes, spread a thin layer of the sauce over each crepe and top with a spoonful of whipped cream. Roll up the crepe if desired and serve immediately.

Preheat the broiler. Place the bell peppers on a baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until all sides are partially browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the peppers from the bowl and peel away the skins. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers, and slice thinly. In a bowl or other container, combine the sliced peppers, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 3 hours.

To make the goat cheese mixture, combine the goat cheese, garlic, and cream, and stir with a spoon until smooth and well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When you are ready to assemble the crostini, preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until light golden and crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the cut side of the garlic over the top of each baguette slice. Spread a thin layer of the goat cheese mixture over each baguette slice and top with a spoonful of the pepper mixture. Sprinkle with minced fresh herbs, if desired. Serve immediately.